Flying after diving...

[KeithG]

I have read many articles about flying after diving and everyone has mixed reviews. DAN recomomends 18hrs and the golden rule has been 24. I have a up coming trip this weekend and wanted to get in a few dives while there. My profile is going to be a 3 tank no deco dive using EAN with a max depth of 100'. Followed by another 2 tank day of diving using EAN with a detph of 75'. My flight is sceduled to leave with a SI of 19 hrs. Then I read this new article in DAN's Alert Diver that just came in the mail. Alert Diver | Flying After Diving what is everyones thoughts?

No such thing as a golden rule.

DAN has 3 recommended guidelines: Scuba Diving Health & Fitness | Dive Medicine | Flying & Diving | Ask DAN | Scuba Diving
12 hours
18 hours
24 to 48 hours

It appears you are within the 18 hour guideline. Go for it! I do not care (as long as you are not on the same plane as me....)

Personally I think it is a fools game to use my flabby, overweight, run down, middle-ish aged FAT body as a test subject for the extreme limits of anybody's dive tables. There is really no way of winning (even if you win, you lose?)

I take the opposite approach. Instead of trying to determine what is the maximum depth I can do, I ask how shallow do I need to be to get the maximum bottom time?

It IS all about bottom time in my world! I never splash if I have to be back before 70 minutes. Whats the point?